[2006alum]

Sorry, I just can't attach much validity to a "study" based on 56 interviews.

This. Average of 26 students per school. Approximately 7K students per school. And no info how whether they were randomly selected or voluntarily opted in, which itself might explain why they were especially invested in navel-gazing vis-a-vis other schools. This is junk social science of the highest order. 

I'll say this - I've either attended or taught at 5 of the US News top ten universities, and students are no where near as different at each campus as they think they are, with the exception of specific programs at specific schools (i.e., of course Wharton students are business oriented and overly preprofessional - that's the whole freaking point). For the most part, even to the degree they are different, my observation has been that it's behavioral cues rather than intrinsic personality differences - it's easier to slip into being "laid back" when it's 80 and sunny in February, easier to become careerist and finance-oriented when you're an hour train ride from NYC, and easier to find your artsy hipster self when you go to school in Manhattan.

[2006alum]

Sorry, I just can't attach much validity to a "study" based on 56 interviews.

This. Average of 26 students per school. Approximately 7K students per school. And no info how whether they were randomly selected or voluntarily opted in, which itself might explain why they were especially invested in navel-gazing vis-a-vis other schools. This is junk social science of the highest order. 

I'll say this - I've either attended or taught at 5 of the US News top ten universities, and students are no where near as different at each campus as they think they are, with the exception of specific programs at specific schools (i.e., of course Wharton students are business oriented and overly preprofessional - that's the whole freaking point). For the most part, even to the degree they are different, my observation has been that it's behavioral cues rather than intrinsic personality differences - it's easier to slip into being "laid back" when it's 80 and sunny in February, easier to become careerist and finance-oriented when you're an hour train ride from NYC, and easier to find your artsy hipster self when you go to school in Manhattan.